18 charged with illegal voting in North Carolina’s 2024 election

RALEIGH, N.C. (WBTV) - Eighteen people face federal charges for illegally voting in North Carolina’s 2024 election.

On Thursday, Oct. 29, the Department of Justice announced indictments against 17 noncitizens — including one undocumented immigrant — less than a month after similar charges were filed against several other North Carolinians.

The charges span the state: nine in North Carolina’s Eastern District, five in the Middle District, and four in the Western District, according to federal prosecutors.

“Protecting the integrity of our elections is fundamental to preserving our constitutional republic,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

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Thursday’s indictments bring the statewide total to 30, following 12 previous indictments in North Carolina’s Eastern District, officials said.

“Every vote matters. And the public must have confidence that our elections are conducted fairly and that every ballot cast is a lawful one,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson for the Western District of North Carolina.

Below is a full list of those charged and the federal districts where the indictments were filed.

Eastern District of North Carolina

• Selvin Porfidio Gonzalez Escobar, 43 (Robeson County)
• • Status: Undocumented immigrant from Guatemala
  • Charges: Falsely claiming citizenship to vote, unlawful voting by a noncitizen
  • Allegations: Registered in 2020; voted in the 2020 and 2024 general elections.
• Amerigo Di Nolfi, 53 (Hampden County, Mass.)
• • Status: Native of Italy, U.K. citizen, lawful permanent U.S. resident
  • Charges: Falsely claiming citizenship to vote, unlawful voting by a noncitizen
  • Allegations: Registered in 2024; voted in the 2024 general election in New Hanover County.
• Elizabeth Margaret Crudup, 52 (Harnett County)
• • Status: Native of Kenya, lawful permanent U.S. resident
  • Charges: Falsely claiming citizenship to vote, unlawful voting by a noncitizen
  • Allegations: Registered in 2008; voted in nine general elections (2008–2024) and nine primary elections (2008–2026).
• Gregory Eugene Wade, 64 (Wake County)
• • Status: Native of Bermuda, lawful permanent U.S. resident
  • Charges: Falsely claiming citizenship to vote, unlawful voting by a noncitizen
  • Allegations: Registered in 2000; voted in 12 general elections (2000–2024) and two primaries (2002, 2020).
• Jacqueline Yvonne Papandreou Brown, 63 (Duplin County)
• • Status: Native of Singapore, U.K. citizen, lawful permanent U.S. resident
  • Charges: Falsely claiming citizenship to vote, unlawful voting by a noncitizen
  • Allegations: Registered in 2020; voted in the 2024 general election.
• Karl Anthony Wilkins, 62 (Fulton County, Ga.)
• • Status: Native of Jamaica, lawful permanent U.S. resident
  • Charges: Falsely claiming citizenship to vote, unlawful voting by a noncitizen
  • Allegations: Registered in 2018; voted in the 2020, 2022, and 2024 general elections, as well as the 2020 primary in Wake County.
• Patricia Elena Valencia Cardona, 56 (Harnett County)
• • Status: Native of Colombia, lawful permanent U.S. resident
  • Charges: Falsely claiming citizenship to vote, unlawful voting by a noncitizen
  • Allegations: Registered in 2024; voted in the 2024 general election.
• Richard John Reid, 62 (New Hanover County)
• • Status: Native of the United Kingdom, lawful permanent U.S. resident
  • Charges: Falsely claiming citizenship to vote, unlawful voting by a noncitizen
  • Allegations: Registered in 2002; voted in four general elections (2008, 2012, 2020, 2024) and two primaries (2008, 2012).
• Taso Gretes, 58 (New Hanover County)
• • Status: Native of Greece, Canadian citizen, lawful permanent U.S. resident
  • Charges: Falsely claiming citizenship to vote, unlawful voting by a noncitizen
  • Allegations: Registered in 2022; voted in the 2024 general election.

Middle District of North Carolina

• Adrianus Marinus Van Der Staak (Seagrove)
• • Status: Netherlands national, lawful permanent U.S. resident
  • Charges: Knowingly making a false claim of U.S. citizenship to vote, unlawful voting by a noncitizen
• Saida Adali Hirachete Olivarez (Reidsville)
• • Status: Mexican national, lawful permanent U.S. resident
  • Charges: Knowingly making a false claim of U.S. citizenship to vote, unlawful voting by a noncitizen
• Juan Florencio Ramos (Salisbury)
• • Status: Cuban citizen, lawful permanent U.S. resident
  • Charges: Knowingly making a false claim of U.S. citizenship to vote, unlawful voting by a noncitizen
• Phillip Alexander Carter (Winston-Salem)
• • Status: Native of Barbados, lawful permanent U.S. resident
  • Charges: Knowingly making a false claim of U.S. citizenship to vote, unlawful voting by a noncitizen
• Yamila Avalos (Concord)
• • Status: Argentinian national, lawful permanent U.S. resident
  • Charges: Unlawful voting by a noncitizen

Western District of North Carolina

• Michael Agah, 74 (Charlotte)
• • Status: Nigerian national, lawful permanent U.S. resident
  • Charges: Unlawful voting by a noncitizen, making a false claim to U.S. citizenship to vote
  • Allegations: Falsely claimed citizenship on an Authorization to Vote form; voted on Nov. 5, 2024.
• Luis Alberto DeJesus, 50 (Conover)
• • Status: Dominican national, lawful permanent U.S. resident
  • Charges: Unlawful voting by a noncitizen, making a false claim to U.S. citizenship to vote
  • Allegations: Falsely claimed citizenship on an early voting application; voted on Oct. 30, 2024.
• Serge Christian Dupont, 57 (Charlotte)
• • Status: French national, lawful permanent U.S. resident
  • Charges: Unlawful voting by a noncitizen, making a false claim to U.S. citizenship to vote
  • Allegations: Falsely claimed citizenship on an Authorization to Vote form; voted on Nov. 5, 2024.
• Edread Ray Stanley, 63 (Charlotte)
• • Status: National of St. Kitts and Nevis, lawful permanent U.S. resident
  • Charges: Unlawful voting by a noncitizen (charged by criminal bill of information)
  • Allegations: Accused of knowingly voting in a federal election on Nov. 5, 2024, despite knowing he was not a U.S. citizen.